Fare-register.



E. H. THOMPSON. FARE REGISTER. APPLICATION FILED APR-8.1914- RENEWED JUNE 15, I91].

, Patented Mar. 11,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- Zgzi 700151985 6%, a gj/mw L I I E. H. THOMPSON.

FARE REGISTER; APPLICATION man APR. 8. 19m. RENEWED mm: 15, 1917.

1,297,274, Patented Mar. 11,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. J

entree snares rirrarrr ERNEST H, THOMPSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FARE-REGISTER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

Application filed April 8, 1914, Serial No; 836,384. Renewed June 15, 1917. Serial No. 175,040.

To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST H. THOMPSON, citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fare-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fare registers for street railway cars and the like, and is intended to provide a simple and reliable means for registering automatically each cash fare deposited in the fare box, provision being alsomade for registering, on the same register, transfer fares or slips received; 3

i In its general aspects the, invention elmbraces a dial indicator one member of which is actuated, step by step, as each cash fare is deposited in the fare box, electrically actuated mechanism being set in motion automatically by the coin deposited to effect this purpose. Another feature of the invention consists in the combination with the electrically operated dial indicator, with electrically controlled means for returning the dial indicator mechanism to zero, such resetting means being manually controlled and preferably so related to the fare box, that its removal for re-location at the other end of the car acts automatically to restore or re-set the register at zero.

operated fare register with the cover re-.

moved to show the interior arrangement;

Fig. '2 is a transverse central section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the double brake pawl for the two ratchet disks;

Fig. 4c is a sectional side elevation of a fare box showing the electrical connections and the two circuit closing devices by which the cash fares and the transfers respectively are registered;

Fig. 5 is a detail in front elevation showing the totalizing registers used in connec-' tion with the circuit closers;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the course of the circuits to the electromagnets;

Fig. 7 i a front view of the dial indicator on a reduced scale.

In practice it is my intention to. providean overhead fare register, visible to the oocupants of the car, which so far as the cash ment at the other end of the car for the return trip.

It will be understood that the fare box is of the type shown and described in my co-pending. application for automatic coin box, filed on the 24th day of October,'1913, and only so much of said ,fare box and its mechanism is shown herein as is needed to make clear the operation of the present in.- vention.

I will first describe the overhead fare register intended to be visible to the occupants of-the car. This comprises a suitable casing a, in which is mounted a central arbor or shaft 0' which supports in this case two rotatable ratchet disks 1) and c, to each'of which is connected an independent pointer b and 0 The pointer b is secured to the rotatable shaft 0' which by means of a set screw 6 is secured to the hub of the ratchet disk 0, and is intended to register the cash fare deposited. The pointer is secured directly to the hub 0 of the ratchet disk 6 and is intended to register transfer slips.

Each of the ratchet wheels 71' and 0 is operated by its own individual electromagnet. The ratchet b is engaged by the pawl :b

and normally held out of engagement by means of the retractile spring 6 A guide and'stop post I) is provided to make it impossible for the pawl to move the ratchet wheel more than one tooth at a time, the pawl being crowded in between the guide post t and the ratchet wheel as it advances,

so asto prevent the following tooth from passing by. This feature is important be-- causethe quick jump of the pawl, produced by the energizing of the electromagnet I) gives a considerable impulse to the ratchet wheel; The pawl b i carried by a swinging arm 6 normally held retracted by .means of the spring 6 but which isso arranged as I "the magnet b". A a

hold the ratchet wheel.. 6

against accidental or reverse rotation when the pawl 72* is retracted ordiseng-aged therefrom, I provide a brake pawl or detent .9,

In order to which is normally spring pressed intoengagemenjt with the opposite. side. of the ratchet wheel 6, so as to allow the ratchet to advance but hold .it against reverse'movement.. The wheel I) is returned to. original or zero position by means of suitable mechanism, such as a clock spring g, one endof which-is secured to the hub of the ratchet wheel 6, the other end being anchored to a fixed stud 9 carried by the casing.

Tn a similar manner thetransfer-register-- ing' ratchetdisk c is actuated bythe pawl 0 carried by the swinging arm 0 and is normally retracted by the spring 0 A guide post .0, similar to guide post 6 is employed to prevent a movement of more than one tooth at a time. The pawl c and the arm of are actuated by the electromagnet "of when energized. A clock spring h. Secured to afixed studh on the cross bar k at one end, and to the hub of the ratchet wheel 0 at the other end, becomes wound up as the disk 0 is rotated by its actuating pawl 0 in the same manner as already described in reference to ratchet wheel 6.

- The brake or locking pawl g is made in two parts or double, as shown in. Fig. 3, so that both may be simultaneously retracted by the T-arm g Which is mounted on th swinging armaturearm e, e, which is pivoted at its middle so as to extend in front of the electromagnets n and 0. When the releau-ie-rodg is retracted it, of course, pulls both stop paWls g out of engagement with their respective ratchet wheels 6 and c, and

the ratchet wheels are then reversely rotated by their respective clock springs to the zero position. Obviously when the lower arm 6 is advanced away from the electromagnet n, the pawls g are in locking position.

The electromagnet 0 when energized tends to restore the lever e, e to a position which allows the. pawl g to interlock with the ratchet wheels, while the electiomagnet n when energized swings the lever e back to release the pawls from operative. engagement with the ratchet wheels. Usually the electromagnet n is intended to be operated only at the end of a run or trip, when the fare box is shifted to the other end of the car,

consequently the circuithas to be closed only momentarily at that time for the purpose of disengaging the pawl 9 This is accomplished by makin a switch connection. be-

tween the termin s f, f, the latter of which s mounted in a hollow pdst or coupling memberp, formed on the bottom of the fare box which telescopesv over a vertical post p which carries the'contact terminal f extending for a short distance from the top, below which isarranged the insulation f Conse quently each time that the fare box isremoved from its standard or replaced thereon, it closes the circuit f, f thereby energizing. the magnet n and allowing the ratchet wheels to reset to the zero point. Of course,

any suitable form of manually controlled clrcuit closer can accomplish this purpose,

' but it is advantageous to do so in such a way that the removal .of the coin box of itself automatically closes this circuit, thereby dispensing with reliance upon the memory of the conductor.

It is, of course, important'that the pawl 9' should be returned to operative position before any fares are registered in order that the ratchet disks may not turn backto zero after belng advanced to record one or more ,fares. This is accomplished by the'en'ergizing of .the electromagnet 0, as above explained, but as it is not desirable to have th electric current flowing continuously through the field of that magnet, I provide means for breaking the circuit and holding the arm 6 in retracted position without the further aid of the electromagnet 0, so as to allow the pawl g to remain in operative position. To

this end the conductor leading-to the field of, the electrom-agnet 0 passes througlra spring fork n, which forms one terminal or contact member of a. switch, the other member of which switch consists of the contact rod or finger a secured to the arm e. The spring fork a has oppositely curved or indented clamplng jaws, as shown in Fig. 2, to receive and detain said contact finger when the arm e is awav from the electromagnet 0 by the pull of the electromagnet n. The'spring tension or grip of the spring fork n is not suf-' ficientto withstand the pull of the electro- Imagnet, 0 when the latter is energized, consequently the circuit controlling this electromagnet 0 is broken, since the magnet is enerized and the arm 6" carrying thecontact n is held in retracted position by means of? a lll ' by a link m mounted in the fare box m,

box need not be wheel is advanced a step,

eeann light for this purpose, although not strong enough to overcome the grip on the spring fork n.

I will now explain the action of the circuit closers which control the magnets 0 and c. The circuit closer as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, comprises a rotatable or oscillating disk (Z provided with a peripheral stop or insulation 03, on which is mounted a strip (1 which is movable into intermittent engagement with the cooperating contact finger d, which is. connected to the conductor (5 which leads through the permanently closed contact d to the conductor cl which is in circuit through the switch n, n with electromagnet 0. Consequently each time that the circuit eloser d is oscillated it acts to close or energize the circuit d, (1, provided of course the switch at n, n is closed."

Obviously ifswitch n, n is open there is no need of energizing the electromagnet 0, since the switch at this point is open only when the arm 6' is retracted and the pawl g is, therefore already in operative position,

which it is the object of this circuit to insure.

The circuit for energizing the electromagnet 0" 1s closed by means of and magnet 0' is closed closing the circuit d, and magneto the members 0Z (1 slightly in advance of between the members d 50 as to make certain that the locking pawl g is in operative position before the ratchet through the medium of the electromagnet c".

The means for actuating or osc'llating the circuit closing disk 01 comprises a lever m having a pin m suitably engaging a slot d in the disk (5. This lever m is connected with the solenoid plunger m which solenoid plunger is actuated electrically through the agency of 'the coin deposited in the coin chute m, as explained in-my co pending application above referredto. The details of the coin-controlled mechanism of the fare herein described because they form another part of this invention and are described in the aforesaid application.

It is sufficient to state that the coin deposited in the chute m closes the circuit by means energized to retract the coin-receiving compartment, and as soon as the coin is removed and the controlling circuit broken, the spring m acts to the plunger 91% to initial position. Consequently by connecting the disk-actuating le- 'ver m with this plunger, 'an oscillatory movement can be imparted to the disk d each time that a coin is deposited. Hence through the medium of the "circuits a), g leading to the electromagnet the fare so deposited is registered on the dial indicator.

tension spring 12 which is suflicient V 7 ing transfer slips in order to is capable of Wlbh the member i to energize the electro:

the contact fin- 'ger (Z and the cooperating terminal 03 but it will be observed that the circuit between restore edge of the arm 0 Provision has to be made also for registermake the device complete and practical. In this case,

however, since it is not convenient to make the transfer slips automatic-ally operative, thetransfer registering pointer or ratchet obviously has to be made for the voluntary registering of the transfers by the conduc- To this end I provide a yielding-spring pressed plunger 71 which engage-sa swinging manner as in the case of the contact member df, above described. As in the case of the contact member (P, so the contact memberli forming a double contact first magnet 0', and then, as it is pushed upward by the engagementand movement of the member i into engagement with theother contact member i which completes the oil.- cuit through the conductor d and'w'to energize the magnetb which actuates the ratchet wheel 79' for registering the transfer slips as they are deposited.

Thus it will be seen deposited acts. automatically to advance the register one step,1while the conductor on reactuates the transferregister by hand;

The dials for registering fares are usually divided into one hundred divisions, although occasionally more than a'hundred-fares are registered. -Furthermore,

v as a' stop has to v be provided for preventing the reverse rota-' that each cash fare ceiving and depositing each transfer slip p tion of the ratchet'wheels b andc beyond the usual point, I have provided means which allows the ratchet wheel to rotate through almost two revolutions for the purpose .of registering faces, while providing stop mechanism that arrests the reverse rotation of the disk at zero; plished, as best" shown in Fig. 1, where the ratchet wheel a is provided with a projecting stop pin 0 Loosely mounted upon the .central arbor 1s a radial arm or lever 0 which at the zero position'of the disk 0 is. in position to the lonsequently entire revolution in the advanced direction before coming into engagementwith the rear side of the arm After one complete revolutitimtherefore, the stop pin 0 in its further advance carries with it the lever 0 and can rotate approximately a complete revolution before the lever 0 comes into contact with the stop pin it fixed to the cross bar k iii-position to engagethe front or advancing By this construction it This is. va'coomrear of. the stop pin 0*. the disk 0 can make almost an is possible to allow the ratchet wheel to rotate through nearly two entire revolutions and thus register-nearly two hundred fares, while making adequate'provision for stopping the reverse rotation at zero. This dis; penses with doubling the size of the dial which would be inconvenient, or of making finer sub-divisions on the dial and on the ratchet, which would, not be satisfactory since the dial cannot be so easily read at a distance, which is important if not essentials in this class of devices. v

In the same manner the ratchet disk 6 may be provided with a stop pin 6 and a loose arm Z2 engaging a fixed stop to accomplish the same purpose with respect to the fare registering pointer;

For exposing to view on a the dial the", word In and Out to indicate that the 20 register has been reset at the end of the trip, I provide a disk 1' carrying around its periphery in radial arrangement, the words In and Out, which are exposed'to view by an opening in the face of the dial, as shown in'Fig. TI. This disk r ismounted on an axial stud r and carries" a ratchet wheel .1- which is actuated by a pawl r on the arm 1 which is secured to the ocillatory armature lever e, e to be oscillated each time that the. ,ratchets' or pointers are reset to the zero mark. I

. Of course, provision has to be made for connecting-up the electrical conductors, contained in the fare box leading to the various circuit controllers therein, with the conductors leading outside of the fare box to the overhead register. This is accomplished by leading the interior wires to externally projecting contact members p which engage cooperating terminals 10 suitably arranged on projecting posts formed on the base which carries the, fare box, so that when the fare box is set in position all connections are automatically made with the overhead reg- As above pointed out one of these connections, namely that at 7, f"v is a temoraryconnection made only when the fare ox is set in place or when it is removed from the base. Theother connections are as indicated in the diagram, permanent so long g as the fare box isin position on its base.

What I. claim is 1. Means for registering fares embracing in combination a fare box for receiving coins, a fare register located at a distance there from, electrical connections leading from the face box to the fare register and means controlled by the coin deposited for automatically actuating said register to register the fares deposited by controlling the flow of current through said electrical connections, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the fare box, electrically actuated fare located at a distance therefrom and having electrics I tially as described.

tire relationship to said ratchet,

1,23a-aert' trolling an electric circuit by which thereg inter is operated, and means for closing said circuit to record the fare deposited, substan- 3; The combination of a dial indicator, a ratchet and pawl for actuating the same step by st p, an eh omagriet for actuating said paw and "ratchet, a fare box and a coin-controlled circuit closer mounted in said fare box and arranged in circuit with said electro-. magnet in order to energize the same each time that a fare is deposited, substantially as described. 5 a I f 4:; The combination with an electrically actuated dial indicator of a fare box, an

oscillatorydisk mounted therein to close the electric'circuitby which said dial indicator is operated, -anda coin-controlled. member for oscillating said disk into and out of circuit closing position, substantially asdescribed. 5. The combination with a dial indicator and its actuating ratchet and pawl, a brake pawl acting normally to prevent reverse rotation of the ratchet, an eleetromagnet acting when energized to move saidbrake pawl into operative engagement with the ratchet, a supplemental electrom'agnet operating when energized to release said pawl from such engagement, substantially as described.- I

' 6. The combination with a dial indicator and its actuating ratchet, and pawl of a brake pawl to prevent r-:- verse rotation of said ratchet; an electromagnet for moving said brake pawl out of operative relationship to said ratchet to permit the resetting of the indicatoryasecond electron'iagnet by which said pawl is restored to operative position, means for automatically breaking the circuit in said latter electromagnet when the same is energized, anda spring for maintaining the brake pawl in operative posi- 11 tion when the last-named electromagnet is deenergized, substantially as described. I

..7. A fare register embracing in combination, adial indicator and its actuating ratchet and pawl, an electromagnet for 210- 1 .of electromagnets for'm'oving said lever in opposite directions. and a circuit closer arranged to control the ratchet-actuatin pawl and the,ratchet brake pawl, substantially as 12 described. 7

8; The combination with a. dial indicator, a ratchet, an actuating paw therefor, a

brake pawl movable into r peraromaghets' for moving said pawls, a coin-controlled circuit closer arranged to energize successively the brake-pawl magnet and the ratchet-actuating magnet, substantially as described.

9. The combination with the ratchet, its actuating pawl, a brake'pawl, an electromagnet for controlling each of said pawls, a.

movable circuit closer, and two insulated contact fingers in circuit with the respective magnets arranged to be successively engaged by the contact member of said circuit closer, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a dial indicator, an electrically actuated mechanism for operating said indicator, means for automatically resetting said indicator, a fare box, a supporting base therefor having electric connections with the indicator mechanism, said fare box being provided with an electric switch arranged to close the circuit governing the resetting means automatically when the fare box is removed or restored to its base, substantially as described.

11. The combination with the electrically actuated dial indicator for registering fares, a fare box, a supporting base therefor provided with electrodes connected with the indicator mechanism, circuit closer mechanism mounted in the fare box the terminals of which are arranged to form electrical contacts with the electrodes in the supporting base when the fare box is placed in position, while allowing the fare box to be removed, substantially as described.

' point,

12. The combination of the dial indicator, an actuating ratchet and pawl for moving the indicator step by step, means for resetting the indicator when desired, a stop pin secured to said ratchet, a loose pivoted arm normally located to the rear of said stop pin during the first revolution of said ratchet,

neutralizing the action of said spring, a

movable stop mechanism arranged to allow said ratchet to rotate beyond one full revolu-.

tion, while acting to arrest the reverse rotation of the ratchet at the initial or zero substantially as described.

14. The combination of a dial indicator, its actuating ratchet and pawl, a brake member normally engaging the ratchet, and means for disengaging said brake member to ermit the ratchet to return to initial position, and a supplemental movable indicator actuated by ,said brake pawl mechanism, substantially as described.

.In witness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification.

- ERNEST H. THOMPSON.

In the presence of Gnoncn A. ROCKWELL, GEo. N. GODDARD. 

